Finding their Future
by TheOnlineTypewriter
Summary: Sequel to What the Future Holds. Following the battle against Mortmain's army in New York, the Downworld is in turmoil. With new characters, surprises, and appearances from characters from TDA and TID abound, follow the Herondales and Lovelaces as they try to once again keep the world in one piece.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Rebel Shadowhunters…**

February 2032:  
New York had been quiet over the last few weeks. Of course, there was some demon activity, and a few Downworlder scuffles, but nothing above the ordinary. Inevitably, this wasn't to last. It was approaching midnight when Clary Fairchild's phone started buzzing, waking the Institute head from her previously peaceful rest. It also woke her husband, Jace, up as well. Picking up and squinting at her phone while her eyes adjusted, Clary could see that it was Maia calling. She picked up the phone.  
"Maia? Why are you calling so late?" Clary asked, sounding more drowsy than annoyed. Late night calls were common, but usually didn't amount to much.  
"It's the den!" Maia replied, sounding incredibly worried. In the background, Clary could hear voices shouting and the sound of something slamming into wood. These factors made Clary bolt upright.  
"Maia, what's happening?!" Clary was now wide awake, and fully alert.  
"There's an army or something outside: Vampires, Faeries, some wolves. Bat said there's the scent of a Shadowhunter, but I'm not sure about that." Maia explained, the sounds in the background getting louder. "Clary, they're trying to get in. They already killed two of the pack. We need help!"  
A chill passed through Clary as she realised what, or rather, whose army was trying to get into the Werewolf den. Obviously, Mortmain's army, who had attacked the Institute's inhabitants multiple times and whose leader had killed Jace and Clary's (adoptive) nephew before being obliterated by the Herondales' daughter, were somehow still organised and were striking at the werewolves. Clary jumped up.  
"We'll get there as soon as we can. Keep holding them off, Maia." Clary instructed. She turned to Jace, who was already up and getting changed into gear.  
"We need to get to the werewolf den. It's Mortmain's army." Clary briefed Jace succinctly. The colour drained from her husband's face then he sped up his changing whilst Clary walked into the corridor. She ran down the corridor, slamming her hand against each of the doors which lead to a particular individual or couple's bedroom. As it was the closest of the three to the Herondale parents' room, Will was the first to surface. He exited his room with a clatter.  
"What's the emergency, mum?!" Will asked, seeming energetically worried.  
"The werewolf den's being attacked. Get dressed, and arm up!" Clary ordered.

Soon enough, everyone was awake and running towards the werewolf den. Will and Jace were the first ready, so were a few streets ahead of the rest of their family. Following closely behind were Charlie, Ros, and Cecily, whilst bringing up the rear were Clary, Simon and Isabelle. However, their distance apart was moot as they all arrived to a similar scene. What had been Mortmain's army had managed to smash through the werewolf den's front door and were flooding in. There was the sound of screams, growls and yelps from inside. Each Shadowhunter drew their preferred weapon; most had seraph blades, minus Cecily and Simon who had bows, and Izzy who had her whip. They ran into the den and immediately assessed the situation: Maia and her pack were huddled against one wall, attempting to hold off the onslaught that came from Mortmain's army. The Shadowhunters from the Institute began to fight against the army. At one point, Clary was faced with one of Mortmain's Shadowhunter allies.  
"Ah, Clarissa Herondale, It's an honour. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to kill you, though." The Shadowhunter remarked.  
"Just shut up and fight." Clary retorted. The pair started sparring and Clary was able to hit the other Shadowhunter in the head with the hilt of her seraph blade. The Shadowhunter, a dark-skinned tall man, who Clary didn't recognise, slumped to the floor. The parents were able to fight their ways through the mass of enemies to the pack, while Cecily, Charlie, Ros, and Will fought as a quartet in the centre of the mass, pushing a large portion of the army outside and away from the werewolf pack. Maia ran forwards and started fighting beside the four parents. The pack alpha had aged well, but the stress of leading could be seen in how her eyes looked older than she was.  
"Thanks for getting here so quickly." Maia remarked.  
"Let's get out of this alive first then we can deal with all that thanking business." Jace responded. The werewolf nodded in response. The werewolves and Shadowhunters kept fighting against Mortmain's army until suddenly, the attackers began to run out of the den. Their reasoning was easy to see. In the centre of the room, someone had dropped a mundane bomb, which was counting down and had less than five minutes left on the timer.  
"We need to get everyone out of here NOW!" Simon ordered. The pack swarmed towards the door. The Shadowhunter parents pushed their children forwards, while also heralding the pack. Everyone who was in the building was able to evacuate. Just as the parents were running from the den, the timer ticked to zero and the werewolf's den was engulfed in flame. Sirens began to blare in the distance, and there was no sign of Mortmain's army anywhere.

An hour later, all of the werewolf pack had been brought to the Institute. Each was looked over, and given some food and water. The Praetor Lupus was preparing enough rooms for the pack to stay in while the den was repaired. Clary was on the phone to the Conclave, explaining the situation, whilst the other Institute inhabitants were dealing with the distribution of the supplies. However, it wasn't until a figure was in the centre of the hall, before anybody realised they were there and recognised them. As soon as they did, both Charlie and Will ran forwards. The figure noticed this and started running further into the Institute. The two Herondales continued to pursue the figure, until they lead her to a dead end.  
"I didn't think you'd recognise me." The figure remarked, flicking down their hood. It was the Shadowhunter that the two Herondales had briefly seen when they were kidnapped by Mortmain the previous year. The as yet unnamed Shadowhunter opened their jacket, revealing what Charlie and Will recognised as a suicide bomber vest. She also drew a button.  
"Move any closer and I'll blow you and most of this Institute to oblivion." The Shadowhunter warned. "I would have wanted to do this somewhere where it would be more effective, but I guess this will have to do."  
Just before she was about to press the trigger, a seraph blade was pressed against the rebel Shadowhunter's neck.  
"You dare threaten my children?" Clary ordered in a cold and level voice. "How stupid do you have to be?"  
Quick as a flash, Clary snatched the trigger from the Shadowhunter and was able to sever it from the vest, disarming it.  
"Now, we are going to detain you on behalf of the Clave and the Conclave." Clary stated. "You are suspected of terrorism and accessory to the murder of an underage Shadowhunter."  
Charlie noticed a shadow of grief pass over Will's face for a moment. Clary was referring to Jordan, Will's parabatai and Cecily's younger brother, who had died at Mortmain's hand less than a year ago. Ever since the battle, the Institute's inhabitants had been trying to deconstruct Mortmain's network, though the network had all but disappeared. There had been various Downworlder terrorist attacks; there wasn't anything particularly major until tonight, but there was nothing to link it to Mortmain or his army.

The Shadowhunter, who refused to name herself was lead to the Institute's Sanctuary and locked inside. The outside door was also locked. She would be kept there until representatives from the Conclave could come and transport her to a more appropriate prison. As every case so far had taken place in the New York Institute's jurisdiction, Clary and Jace were pretty sure that it would be their responsibility to investigate and deal with Mortmain's network. However, half an hour later, there was an unexpected visitor to the Institute. Robert walked into the Institute, in full Inquisitor robes, alongside a dower looking, grey haired women in the uniform of the Centurions. The werewolves had been transported to the Praetor Lupus' house, so it was only the Shadowhunters remaining.  
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Izzy queried when she saw her dad.  
"We have a matter that requires the attention of the Institute heads." Robert stated. "Unfortunately, at this point in time, it's classified to that level."  
Clary and Jace led Robert and the woman, who was revealed to be one of the lead Centurions, Marissa Bowstaff, up to the Institute's office. The conversation lasted for a few minutes before Jace came into the lounge where the other Institute inhabitants were sitting.  
"Charlie, Will, the Inquisitor and Centurion Bowstaff have a few questions they need to ask you." Jace explained to his children. "It's about when Mortmain kidnapped you."  
The two Herondale children nodded. Cecily took Will's hand. Will looked back at his girlfriend.  
"I'll be fine. They just want to know what happened, and what we saw." Will assured Cecily. "I don't think it will go over 'that'."  
Cecily let Will's hand go. She wasn't completely satisfied but Will seemed sure about what he had to do. Charlie and Will followed Jace up to the office. Robert and the Centurion were sitting, and Clary was leaning against the back wall of the office. Centurion Bowstaff stood and extended her hand to Will and Charlie. Both Herondale children shook the Centurion's hand.  
"Hello. I'm Centurion Bowstaff, and it's my responsibility to deal with the Mortmain case." Centurion Bowstaff explained.  
"Wait, why is the Scholomance taking on the Mortmain case?" Charlie asked. "I thought it was a local matter."  
Robert and the Centurion looked at each other.  
"This is highly classified information, known only to the people in this room, and a few select other Clave members, and a group of Centurions. It must remain that way, until we state otherwise." Robert informed Cecily and Will. We have reason to believe that Mortmain's network stretched further than just New York. If some evidence we've found is true, we have reason to believe that Mortmain was the mastermind behind an international Downworld criminal network."  
Centurion Bowstaff and Robert proceeded to get a full account from Charlie and Will about what had happened on the night that they were kidnapped. After their accounts were complete, Centurion Bowstaff and Robert stood.  
"Thank you for your assistance in this matter." Robert remarked.  
"Wait," Will started. "I'm assuming there's going to be a Clave investigation into Mortmain."  
"That's correct." The Centurion responded. "We've got representatives from each country an attack has taken place."  
"I would like to be a part of that investigation." Will stated. "My parabatai was one of Mortmain's victims, and so it's my duty to make sure anyone responsible are brought to justice."  
"We'll need to think it over," Robert remarked. "But I am sure that there is a place for you in the investigation."  
Will nodded.

A week later, Will received a letter from the Inquisitor's office, confirming that Will had a place in the investigation. A few days later, Will had packed a month's worth of gear and clothes, and was preparing to portal to Idris.  
"I still don't understand why you can't tell me anything," Cecily stated, as the pair waited for the portal to be made ready.  
"It's a confidential investigation." Will explained. "I'm sure that there will be some information released soon."  
"I wish that I could come with you, though." Cecily remarked. "I mean, we're engaged, for Raziel's sake."  
Will took Cecily's hands in his.  
"I know. They need help, and I'm one of the only people who can." Will remarked. At that moment, Magnus walked in, saying that the portal was ready. Will kissed Cecily quickly, before following Magnus to the portal and stepping through to Idris. Cecily walked back into the Institute where she was met by Charlie. Charlie immediately noticed that the Lovelace was slightly tearful, and gave her parabatai a hug.  
"I couldn't tell him, Charlie. I couldn't get up the courage." Cecily whispered between tears.  
"I'm sure that you will." Charlie assured Cecily "He's only going to be gone for a few weeks."  
Cecily nodded and walked with her parabatai to get on with their everyday duties as Shadowhunters.

Meanwhile, when Will emerged from the portal, he was immediately met by a young Shadowhunter about his age: a tall girl of indeterminate Asian descent with shoulder length black hair. A detail that Will immediately noticed, much like he did on himself any time he looked in the mirror was the faded parabatai rune on the girl's arm.  
"You must be Will Herondale." The girl remarked. The girl had a British accent, and she spoke with a formal tone of voice. "My name's Tanya Drewstark. I've been told to get you settled in."  
Will nodded and followed Tanya from the portal towards Alicante and the Shadowhunter academy where an investigation office of sorts had been set up, and where Will would be staying for the month.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: …and Surprise Announcements**

March, 2032:  
Charlie and Cecily were walking through the streets of New York, on a routine patrol. The Institute's patrols had increased in frequency after the attack on the werewolf den. As they walked through their allotted patrol area, Cecily kept checking her watch.  
"Don't worry, Cec," Charlie assured her parabatai. "We'll get back to the Institute before he's meant to portal back."  
Cecily nodded. Today was the end of Will's tenure in Idris, and the Herondale was meant to be getting back soon. Over the last month, Will and Cecily had kept in contact via letters. A week after Will had left to Idris, the Clave released an official statement, explaining about Mortmain's international network. The pair was able to finish up their patrol and headed back to the Institute. When they arrived, the Institute was buzzing with activity. As New York City was the epicentre of all of Mortmain's army's activities, a large number of the Conclave were working in New York. Clary stepped away from her conversation with a Conclave representative from Connecticut so she could talk to Charlie and Cecily.  
"I just got word from Idris. Will should be getting back within the hour." Clary informed the two young adults. Both nodded and thanked Clary. Charlie headed into the Institute to find Ros, while Cecily went up to the weapon's room to put their seraph blades back into storage.

Meanwhile, in Idris, Tanya and Will were training in one of the Shadowhunter Academy's many large halls. Whilst Will used an iron quarterstaff, Tanya used two electrum chakrams. As they fought, they talked over what was to happen over the coming days and weeks.  
"So, when are you heading back?" Tanya asked.  
"It should be in the next hour." Will replied. "They're just getting the portal sorted. What are your plans over the next few days?"  
"Didn't you hear?" Tanya responded, essentially halting their duel.

Cecily was impatiently pacing in the Institute's library, waiting for the portal to open. Charlie had tried to get the Lovelace to calm down, but hadn't had any effect, so had left so she could deal with some other matters. It was just as Cecily was ready to give up that the portal from Idris opened. A figure emerged from the portal, carrying a large bag. Cecily immediately recognised the figure as Will and pulled the Herondale into a tight hug. However, the portal remained open as another figure came through. Cecily looked at the new figure with confusion.  
"Hey, Cecily." Will greeted after Cecily had let go of him.  
"Hi. Who's this?" Cecily asked.  
"Cecily, this is Tanya." Will introduced the figure. "She's another Shadowhunter of the investigation team. She's been assigned here for a while."  
Before Cecily could ask any more questions, Clary and Jace walked into the library. Will immediately ran other and hugged his parents.  
"We thought that was your voice." Jace remarked, hugging his son back.  
"It's good to be home." Will replied.

A few hours later, Cecily and Will were sitting on the roof of the Institute.  
"So, you and Tanya seem close." Cecily commented, wanting to seem nonchalant.  
"Cecily Lovelace, are you jealous?" Will retorted, immediately seeing through his fiancé's façade.  
"No…" Cecily lied, blushing.  
"Tanya was the first person in the investigation team that I met when I arrived in Idris." Will explained. "She's also the person closest to my age in the team. We have a few similarities."  
"Like?" Cecily asked, now more intrigued than jealous.  
"Namely, our parabatai were victims of Mortmain's army." A voice spoke from behind Cecily and Will. Cecily looked at the new Shadowhunter, and her eyes softened as the impact of Tanya's words set in.

September, 2031:  
On the same day as the New York Institute was attacked, in the Cornwall Institute, there was a report of an attack on a local Downworld hotspot. Of course, a team of Shadowhunters was dispatched to deal with the situation. Amongst them were Tanya and her parabatai Jane Bladesmith. When they got to the hotspot, the whole area was chaotic. A mixture of Downworlders was attacking the others. Brawls had sprung up across the area, and the Shadowhunters quickly acted to try and break the fights up. However, the main attackers turned on the Shadowhunters. In the middle of the chaos, Tanya froze for a moment as she spotted something unnerving: A Shadowhunter, not from the Institute, was fighting against Jane's mother and Tanya's guardian. However, the slight moment that Tanya froze came back to bite her immediately, as in her moment of confusion, a Downworlder pushed Tanya aside, and thrust a dark metal sword straight through Jane's chest. As it did, a pain roared through Tanya as if she had been stabbed herself.

January, 2032:  
For the days, weeks, and months following, Tanya secluded herself, and hid from the other Shadowhunters. Jane's girlfriend had taken her own life the day after the battle, and to be perfectly fair, Tanya was also considering suicide. However, before she followed through with the idea, there was a visitor to the Institute. Inquisitor Robert Lightwood was visiting to enquire about the attack, and Tanya was asked for her personal account of the night's events. Robert also gave Tanya a proposition: he offered her the chance to come to Idris and help the investigation into Mortmain's network, and potential connected crimes. Tanya was hesitant at first, but accepted the offer. She spent a month in the investigation, finding her place and helping its progress, when she was given a small task by Centurion Bowstaff: she had to go pick up a new arrival who was portalling in that day. All Tanya was told was where the portal would open, and a name: Will Herondale.

March, 2032:  
"Will was one of the first people in the investigation who didn't look at me like I was somehow broken." Tanya commented. Whilst they tried to obscure their emotions, Shadowhunters were still human, and in trying to be empathetic to those who had lost someone, they could sometimes seem to act too delicately which might make the victim of the loss feel broken.

The following day, Will was in the Institute's music room, playing a Bach piece on the grand piano. Of course, the academy had no instruments, so he was a bit out of practice, but the piece still sounded like it should. He was about a page into the song when Tanya walked in.  
"I didn't know you could play, Will." Tanya commented.  
"My dad taught me." Will explained, memories of the lessons, and more specifically his first lesson coming to the surface in his mind.

June, 2020:  
A slightly over-excited, 6 year old Will Herondale was sitting in the music room with Jace. For his birthday, Will had asked for piano lessons. However, over the next few weeks, the signing of the Accords took place, which of course required Jace and Clary's presence in Idris, as both Institute heads, and heroes of the Dark War. Therefore, this was the first time that both the Herondale father and son were both sufficiently free for a lesson. Jace went through the basics of playing the piano with Will, and had Will practice from an 'easy piano' book Clary had found when out on a shopping trip with Izzy. At first, Will's fingers were uncoordinated and he played more wrong notes than right, but eventually, he was able to play his first piece. Through months of lessons and hours of practice, Will was eventually equipped with piano skills that exceeded even Jace's high expectations (more of his own teaching than his son's prowess)

March, 2032:  
"I play when I've got a lot on my mind." Will explained. "It's a trait I got from my dad. It helps me think things through, and figure stuff out."  
"So, what are you trying to figure out?" Tanya asked, intrigued.  
"Cecily seems like she's been wanting to tell me something all day." Will commented. "But she hasn't said it. I tried to give her some time, so she could but she kept quiet."  
"And you're trying to figure out what she wants to tell you?" Tanya deduced.  
"I'm trying to figure out how I can make her feel confident enough to tell me." Will replied. "I'm worried for her, Tanya."  
Tanya nodded. Someone cleared their throat in the music room's doorway. Will and Tanya turned to see Cecily.  
"Tanya, could I talk to Will for a moment?" Cecily asked. Tanya nodded, grasping the subtext, and went to leave.  
"I'll talk to you later, Will." Tanya remarked before she exited. "We've got that assignment to do."  
After Tanya had left, Cecily walked over to Will and sat, facing him.  
"I'm guessing you heard what I told Tanya." Will remarked, feeling slightly awkward. Cecily nodded.  
"I did. Will, it's not just that I'm worried about saying what's on my mind at the moment." Cecily confessed "I don't know how to say what's on my mind at the moment."  
"You know you can tell me anything, Cec." Will assured the Lovelace. "Just say what's on your mind."  
"Promise you won't flip out or anything?" Cecily replied. Will nodded fervently. Cecily took a deep breath to calm her nerves.  
"Will, I'm pregnant." Cecily confessed. There was a small moment before the words and their impact made Will react. His eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. He was also silent, speechless for a whole minute. When Will finally regained his voice, it was higher pitched than usual and a whisper.  
"You're p-preg-," Will stammered, the words not quite registering. Cecily nodded.  
"But we- We used-…" Will continued his tirade of stuttering, stammering, and incomplete sentences.  
"I guess we weren't careful enough." Cecily commented. Both young adults took a deep breath.  
"We're having a baby?" Will said, both as a comment and a question.  
"We're having a baby." Cecily replied. Will's face lit up. The shock was gone, replaced with joy. He leaned forwards and kissed Cecily on the lips. Cecily gladly reciprocated. After they separated, Will rested his hand on Cecily's belly.  
"Who knows?" Will asked, curious.  
"Only Charlie. She found the test in my room." Cecily answered. "I made her promise not to tell anyone before I told you."  
Will smiled.  
"Well, I'm sure everyone will be ecstatic about the news." Will assured Cecily. "When are you planning on telling the parents? You're the one carrying the baby."  
"I was thinking that we could, tonight." Cecily replied. "I need you by my side when we do."  
Will nodded.  
"I'll stand with you, no matter what, Cec." Will commented. "You needn't worry about that."  
Cecily stood and held out her hand. Will took it as he stood and the two walked from the music room to the lounge where the parents could usually be found. However, only Simon and Isabelle were sitting there.  
"Where are my mum and dad?" Will asked.  
"They had a call from the Conclave about the would-be bomber you and Charlie caught a month ago." Simon explained. "They should be coming back here soon. Why?"  
"It's not important yet." Cecily responded, resulting in intrigued expressions from both Simon and Izzy. Cecily and Will sat with the Lovelace parents in silence until the Herondale parents had concluded their phone call with the Conclave. Both Will's and Cecily's stomachs were full of butterflies as they waited, both incredibly nervous about how the parents would react to their news. When Clary and Jace entered the room, Will stood and hugged his parents, hoping to instil some confidence within himself.  
"What was that for?" Clary asked, confused.  
"Can't I hug my parents?" Will responded, trying to make it seem nonchalant. Cecily stood and walked to Will's side.  
"We have some news." Cecily started. "You guys might want to sit down for this.  
Clary and Jace looked simultaneously confused and concerned, but they did as Cecily advised. Will and Cecily glanced at each other, and silently took a deep breath.  
"Well, this news came as a surprise to both Will and I." Cecily remarked. "But…"  
Will gave Cecily's hand a reassuring squeeze.  
"Our family is going to have a new member." Will finished. The parents just looked at the newly expectant parents in shocked silence.  
"You mean you're…" Simon commented, trailing off and looking at Cecily. Cecily nodded. The parents' shock was quickly replaced with joy. They stood and walked over. The parents hugged their children and congratulated them for their news.  
"When did you find out?" Jace asked both Cecily and Will.  
"It was just a couple days before Will left for Idris." Cecily confessed. "I wanted to tell Will first."  
"I only found out today." Will remarked.  
"So, how far along are you then, Cecily?" Izzy queried.  
"9 weeks, as far as I'm aware." Cecily replied.  
"So, that explains why you were ill yesterday morning." Clary commented, having passed Cecily throwing up early the previous morning.  
"I was this morning too. I just made sure not to be as obvious." Cecily confessed.  
"Well, you don't have to worry now." Izzy assured her daughter. "Both Clary and I will be here to help you through."  
"Not to mention the rest of us." Will added. "I'll be by your side, no matter what. This baby is my child too."  
The parents continued to chatter. Their joy at the announcement calmed Cecily and Will immensely. After the conversation lulled, Will and Cecily excused themselves from the room. As they walked back to their bedrooms, Will turned to Cecily.  
"Cecily, we need to get married." Will remarked, taking the Lovelace by surprise.  
"We're already engaged, Will." Cecily commented, confused. "What do you mean?"  
"I mean…" Will replied, pausing to figure out the best way of wording what he wanted to say. "I know this sounds old fashioned, but I want our child to grow up with married parents."  
Cecily smiled appreciatively.  
"I understand that, and to be fair, I agree." Cecily responded. "That gives us approximately 29 weeks to get married."  
"That's not a lot of time." The couple remarked simultaneously, which made both chuckle.  
"I'm sure we can get something sorted." Will stated, and Cecily nodded. With all the announcements from the day, Cecily and Will slept in the same bed, their hands intertwined over Cecily's belly. Both slept soundly for the entire night, minds full of dreams of the future.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Clave Assignments…**

March, 2032:  
The following morning, Will met up with Tanya in the entrance hall of the Institute, and headed out on their assignment for the Clave. Meanwhile, Cecily remained home, but kept checking the clock. Cecily and Will had an ultrasound appointment, to check their baby's heartbeat. The ban on the use of mundane medicine by Shadowhunters had, at least partially, been raised after several cases were made to the Clave of situations where Shadowhunters were unable to get help from runes or the Silent Brothers and where mundane medicine could have significantly helped the situation. Charlie was packing some of her stuff, as her and Ros were heading to Paris in a few days' time, as the Arcargents were having their extended family visit to get to know Charlie, and she sensed Cecily's nerves. She found her parabatai in one of the Institute's lounges, and sat by Cecily's side.  
"Cecily, it'll be fine!" Charlie assured the Lovelace. "You need to keep calm for you and your baby."  
Cecily started breathing deeply, and her nerves calmed.  
"I know. It's just: Will isn't the best when it comes to being on time." Cecily remarked.  
"Trust me. He wouldn't miss this for the world." Charlie assured Cecily. "There's nothing more important to him than family, and that definitely includes you."  
"Thank you, Charlie." Cecily remarked.  
"Do you remember my 12th birthday, when Will and Jordan were on patrol when the family gathering was meant to begin?" Charlie asked, attempting to assure the Lovelace. Cecily nodded and smiled at the memory.

January, 2027:  
It was a cold winter's afternoon, and various individuals were arriving at the Institute. It was Charlie's 12th birthday. Of course, a 12th birthday was important to a Shadowhunter as they gained their first runes when they were 12. However, as the family members, both adopted and genetic, arrived, there were two notable absences; Will and Jordan were still out on patrol. They were meant to be getting back in the next few minutes. Charlie walked round the gathering, talking to the various family members, when there was suddenly a crash from the entrance hall. Walking into the entrance hall, Charlie, Cecily and the parents saw Will and Jordan getting up from the floor and brushing dust off of their clothes. It turned out that in trying to get home quickly, so Will could be there for his younger sister's birthday, the two boys had attempted to get through the Institute's front door when it was only slightly ajar, ending up with them falling over each other.

March, 2032:  
Charlie continued to chat to Cecily, and soon enough the worry of the timings was gone from the Lovelace's mind.  
 _'Will definitely owes me for this.'_ Charlie thought. While she always wanted to be there for Cecily, Charlie felt that anything to do with the pregnancy, when it came to comforting Cecily, should be Will's responsibility.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Institute, Clary and Jace were in the Institute's main office, taking a call from the Conclave. The representative was informing the two Herondale parents about some information that had come to light during the interrogation of the rebel Shadowhunter that had been caught by the two Herondale children, and was currently being detained in the City of Bones.  
"Our detainee is one Lisa Sharpdale. She's thought to have died in a demon attack in Massachusetts three years ago." The representative informed Clary and Jace. "She joined up with Mortmain as her husband became an Endarkened during the Dark War. We asked about whether there were any plans for further attacks. After some resistance, she confessed that she isn't informed about attacks until they happen, and even then she's only told her role. Apparently, they did this with all the Shadowhunter members, so that if one got captured, the army's plans weren't ruined. However, she did give us a location of a potential meeting point. That's where William and Tanya are en route to, or they should be currently."  
"Wait, you ordered them to go into a potential fight, without backup?" Clary asked, confused and subtly angered.  
"Their orders are to only observe." The representative replied, stating it factually. They have been told not to take any action against Mortmain's army, but to confirm whether the destination is actually a meeting place."  
"If I may, why were they informed before we were, as Institute heads?" Jace asked.  
"Due to the length of time they've been working on this case, and their recent proximity to the latest developments, William and Tanya technically have a higher security clearance in this case than either of you do currently, Mr and Mrs Herondale." The representative explained. "I'm sorry, but that's what the Inquisitor decided."  
"So, what are we meant to do?" Clary queried.  
"That depends on what Tanya and William find." The representative replied. "They are to report to you and the Clave when they get back to the Institute. If they find evidence that the area is a meeting point for Mortmain's army, your Institute will be authorised to carry out a raid, with the aim being to dismantle some of the army's infrastructure, as well as potentially capture some more members. Now, if that is all, I am required elsewhere."  
Without giving time for either Jace and Clary to reply, the representative hung up the phone.  
"Seriously, the Clave can sometimes be a real pain in our –" Clary started.  
"I know, but there's nothing we can do about it." Jace interrupted. "We just need to wait for Will and Tanya to get back."

The two young adults in question were currently waiting on the roof of a house in the New York suburbs, watching an apparently empty shop across the street. There were a few glamours thrown up, but the pair of Shadowhunters saw through it and saw various symbols indicating a Downworlder presence at some point. In the days after the battle, The New York Institute had been able to get a few images from the security cameras around the warehouse that had been used as Mortmain's base of operations, so Tanya and Will had a dossier of grainy images of members to look out for, as well as Will's memories of when he and Charlie were kidnapped. They waited for over an hour until there was any suspicious activity. A werewolf who Will vaguely recognised walked to the store front and waited at the doorway. A few moments later, the door opened and the werewolf entered the 'abandoned' shop. Tanya stood and prepared to jump down to the street.  
"Wait, Tanya, we were told to only observe the site. We don't have the capacity to deal with what might be in there." Will warned the other Shadowhunter.  
"Well, we can't see what's going on in there from here, can we?" Tanya retorted. Before Will could respond, Tanya jumped down to the street, and started to walk towards the shop. Will cussed under his breath then jumped down to the street himself.

A few minutes later, in the Institute, the phone began to ring. Clary ran into the entrance hall, and picked up the phone. On the other side of the phone, Clary heard shouts and someone swinging a weapon.  
"Hello?" Clary greeted.  
"Hi, mum." Will's voice responded. Will's tone seemed as if he was trying to sound calm and normal. "We might need some help."  
"What's happened?" Clary asked.  
"Tanya may have run over to the spot we're meant to be observing. We can definitely say that it's a base for Mortmain's army." Will commented, his calm façade beginning to fade away.  
"Where are you guys? We'll send help." Clary replied, her voice starting to sound worried. Will gave the address then hung up. Clary ran through the Institute and gathered a few of the Shadowhunters. The Lovelace parents stayed in the Institute in case something else came up, but Cecily was adamant that she had to accompany them. So, the Herondale parents, Charlie, Ros, and Cecily headed out of the Institute to assist the two Shadowhunters already in the field. When they reached the 'abandoned' shop, the front window had been smashed through. Both Shadowhunters were outside, sparring with a group of Mortmain's army. However, when they spotted the other inhabitants of the Institute, the army started running into the shop. Will and Tanya tried to follow them, with the parents trying to catch up.  
"I thought you were being swarmed." Clary remarked.  
"We were. Most of them escaped through Portals through." Will explained.  
"We've got to make sure the rest of them don't get away." Tanya added. The two teenagers jumped through the smashed in window, whilst the others followed through the doorway. The Downworlder army ran through a portal, with the last passing through just before anyone could catch them. However, before Will could follow them through, Clary caught him by his arm.  
"Don't." Clary commanded Will.  
"Mum, we can still catch them!" Will declared. "We need to get after them!"  
"I know, but something feels off about this portal." Clary responded. "We'll need a warlock's help with this."

Magnus and Alec were currently preoccupied in the Caribbean, so it was Tessa who turned up to help with the investigation of the portal. Tessa looked over the Portal's runes for a few moments before recoiling.  
"It's a good thing none of you passed through the portal." Tessa remarked.  
"Why? Where does it lead?" Jace asked, confused.  
"I don't who did this for them, or how they did it," Tessa answered. "But this Portal leads to an alternate dimension. I've heard of where this leads. They call it the Shadowless World."  
"What do you mean?" Charlie queried, confused.  
"It's essentially a world without Downworlders or Shadowhunters. There's still magic, but nobody can use it." Tessa explained. "Its existence has been rumoured for centuries in the Spiral Labyrinth, but any attempt warlocks have made to get there have resulted in death or worse. The best explanation was that people are tied to their own dimensions, and so couldn't leave it. Of course, it's a bit different for hell, as you can attest, but that's a different matter."  
"Wait, so if they are bound to this dimension, how can they travel to the Shadowless world?" Tanya asked. There was silence for a few moments, before Cecily made a realisation.  
"It's the blades." Cecily theorised. She turned to the two Herondale siblings.  
"You said that when Mortmain kidnapped you, he explained that the blade was able to make people feel pain through their bonds." Cecily continued with her theory. "What if they also used it to sever their bonds to the dimension?"  
"It's a possibility." Tessa replied. "I might have a way we can test that, though. I'm unsure whether it would be the case, but Will has already been hit with the energy of the dark blades; what if his ties have been cut because of it?"  
"Do we have a way to see whether my ties have been cut?" Will queried.  
"I think I have just the spell. I'll need a few hours to sort it out, though." Tessa replied.

The Shadowhunters headed back to the Institute. The shop had been further glamoured so that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Tessa was still getting the charm ready. However, there were other concerns on Cecily's mind. She and Will were walking back from the doctors, enjoying the cool night breeze. The ultrasound had gone well, with the foetus seeming perfectly healthy at the moment.  
"Are you sure you want to do this, Will?" Cecily asked. Will looked at Cecily resolutely.  
"I have to do this. Mortmain's, or whoever's leading them now, army is a threat to the entire world." Will replied, his tone of voice matching his expression. "It's a threat to our family, and to our baby!"  
"I understand that, Will. It just…" Cecily commented, pausing for a few moments. "It seems that you're trying to run away from me a lot recently. Any opportunity you can get, you'll be anywhere but by my side."  
Will took a deep breath. There were a few moments of awkward silence before the Herondale spoke up.  
"I know I've been distant recently, and I know that 'distant' is probably an understatement." Will confessed. "The fact is, Cec, I'm not trying to run away from you, or our future. It's just… I'm terrified. I'm terrified about the fact that I'm going to be a father; that I'm not going to be good enough for our child and you."  
"You will definitely be good enough, Will." Cecily assured her fiancé. "You are one of the kindest and most caring people I have ever known. You care more for your family than should be physically possible. Honestly, our baby couldn't have a better father, in my mind."  
Will smiled at Cecily.  
"You truly believe that?" Will queried, and Cecily nodded.

When the pair got back to the Institute, they found Clary talking with Tessa in the entrance hall.  
"Ah, it's about time you guys got back." Clary remarked to the two young adults. "How did the appointment go?"  
"It went well, actually." Cecily answered. "Everything seems to be going fine with the baby."  
"You're having a baby?!" Tessa queried, sounding shocked. Both Will and Cecily nodded sheepishly.  
"Anyway," Will commented. "We have an important matter to deal with."  
"Actually, we have already dealt with the whole ties matter." Tessa remarked.  
"Who did you use the charm on?" Cecily queried, confused.  
"Tanya. She got hit by the same energy as I did when one of Mortmain's army killed her parabatai." Will commented in realisation. "Did the charm work?"  
"As far as we can tell, Tanya has none of the ties to this dimension that are present with other Shadowhunters." Tessa explained. "If it's needed, I can cast the charm again to check whether it's the same for you, Will."  
"It's probably better to be safe than sorry." Will remarked, looking at Cecily briefly. Tessa opened a spell book she held under her arm. She instructed Will to step forwards and started casting some magic, a blue light shimmered between her hands and Will's body. However, the blue energy seemed to be repelled from Will. A few moments later, the blue light faded.  
"The same thing happened with Tanya." Tessa commented. "You're not tied to this dimension, as far as I can tell."

The following morning, the Shadowhunters were back in the abandoned shop. Tessa had come, as well, to make sure Will and Tanya were briefed on the Shadowless world.  
"Now, when you pass through, your spirits are going to be thrown into your alternate versions." Tessa explained. "You have to be quick, as if you spend too long in the Shadowless world, you'll drift and potentially forget this life."  
"Wait, if there were no Shadowhunters, then surely I'll still be in England." Tanya commented.  
"Whilst we can't access the Shadowless world, the Spiral Labyrinth have been able to view it, and we saw that when a person in our world travelled to a country, the same happened in the Shadowless world."  
"Anyway, we need to get moving, Tanya. Mortmain's army has a day's head start." Will remarked. However, before they passed through the portal, Tessa passed both Tanya and Will a small star-shaped necklace.  
"This should bring you back if you can't find the portal Mortmain's army are using to get back to this world." Tessa explained. Tessa and Will took the amulet thankfully. Tanya took a deep breath then stepped through the portal, disappearing immediately. Will hesitated for a moment. He quickly walked over and pecked Cecily on the lips.  
"Stay safe." Both said simultaneously before chuckling. Turning, Will took a few breaths before walking and passing through the Portal himself.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: …and Alternate Dimensions**

2032  
When Tanya came through the portal, she felt her stomach flip and it took all her instincts to prevent her from vomiting. When the queasiness stopped, Tanya immediately noticed that she was in a vehicle that was moving. She flailed slightly, trying to get her bearings. Thankfully, Tanya was in the passenger's seat, but her flailing drew the attention of the car's driver. When Tanya looked over, she audibly gasped, as sitting in the driver's seat was Jane.  
"Tanya, are you alright?" Jane asked. "What's wrong?"  
"Jane? How are you here? What's going on?" Tanya asked, shock clear in her voice.  
"Tanya, you really need to stop practicing your amnesiac role. It's getting tiring." Jane commented. "We're heading into the city for the opening of Clary's new art exhibition, remember? We've got to stop off at Cecily and Will's on the way there."

Meanwhile, back in the Shadowhunters' dimension, most of the Shadowhunters had returned to the Institute. They decided to have someone stay in the shop, in case Tanya and Will came back through, and Charlie had volunteered to take first watch. There was about a half hour of calm then the Institute received a visitor. The Institute had briefed the Clave on what was going, so Clary and Jace were confused when Centurion Bowstaff arrived at the Institute.  
"Centurion Bowstaff, we weren't expecting you." Jace remarked.  
"We have a few developments with our captured Shadowhunter." Centurion Bowstaff explained. "It turns out that whilst they were being honest when we first interrogated them, they didn't tell us everything they knew. I was hoping to talk to you two, as well as Tanya and William."  
"Well, Tanya and Will are… elsewhere, at the moment." Jace remarked.  
"All the same, I would still like to speak to you two." Centurion Bowstaff remarked. Clary and Jace nodded then led the Centurion to their office to continue discussing the matter.

In the Shadowless world, when Will came around, he was standing in an apartment's dining room. He had a set of papers in his hand, with various pictures of paintings and write-ups. The table was also covered with similar papers, though these were collated together and stapled. The pamphlets on the table had a title page reading 'Clary Herondale – World of Shadows'. Someone tapped Will on the shoulder, making him jump. He turned to see Cecily, dressed in mundane clothes and carrying a pile of pamphlets herself.  
"Hey, you stopped mid-sentence." Cecily commented.  
"Excuse me?" Will queried, confused.  
"You were saying something about how excited your parents and Charlie were for your mum's exhibition." Cecily explained.  
"Sorry, I guess I lost my train of thought." Will replied. "I can't remember what I was going to say."  
"You've been doing that a lot, recently." Cecily remarked. "You've been really stressed about balancing your coursework and working at the Institute, haven't you?"  
"I guess I have." Will remarked, slightly distracted as he tried to get his bearings.  
"So, Tanya and Jane are stopping over to collect the pamphlets then we have a lunch appointment with my mum, dad, and Jordan."  
The last name in the list took Will by surprise, but he didn't say anything. Thankfully, there was an excuse for him to be elsewhere, as a doorbell rang.  
"I'll get that." Will remarked, stepping to a doorway, then turning after realising it was the wrong direction. He walked to the front door, whilst Cecily looked quizzically at her boyfriend. He opened the door to reveal Tanya and a woman about Tanya's age who he had never met before. As such, he deduced that it must be Jane.

Meanwhile, in the Shadowhunter's dimension, Centurion Bowstaff, Jace, and Clary were sitting in the Institute's office.  
"So, what news is there from the City of Bones?" Jace asked the Centurion. "And why did it require a personal visit from one of the Scholomance's leading Centurions?"  
"Whilst Sharpdale wasn't informed about future attacks, she had a good idea of the membership of Mortmain's army." Centurion Bowstaff explained. "She's been giving the Silent Brothers a list of every Shadowhunter and Downworlder who she interacted with inside Mortmain's army. There's nearly 100 different Shadowhunters, spanning multiple countries and continents. We've been going around every Institute, distributing the lists of names."  
From her cloak, Centurion Bowstaff took a set of papers tied together with some string. She dropped it on the desk, and the Herondale parents looked over the list of names. Some were highlighted in green, whilst some others were crossed out, and some were underlined, and there were some which where more than one of the above.  
"The crossed out names are members who have already been dealt with, be it by detainment or death." Centurion Bowstaff explained. "Those which are underlined are apparently key members in the army's infrastructure. In green are the individuals who are thought to be within the country, potentially within your Institute's jurisdiction. The Clave's requesting you to put finding the individuals on this list as a top priority. Tanya and William should help lead this action when they return from the alternate dimension."  
Clary and Jace nodded.  
"We'll get in touch with the local Downworlder leaders and let them know about the green names." Jace assured the Centurion. Centurion Bowstaff nodded.  
"Thank you very much. I've got to get moving. I still have a few Institutes to visit." Centurion Bowstaff remarked. She stood, as did the Herondale parents. Centurion Bowstaff shook the hands with each of the Institute heads then left the office.

Meanwhile, in the Shadowless world, Will and Tanya were in Cecily's and Will's apartment's kitchen, whilst the other two were in the dining room.  
"So, are you 'you', Will?" Tanya asked. Will nodded.  
"I'm the shadow version of me." Will replied. "I'm guessing that's Jane."  
"Yeah. It was weird to see her again." Tanya remarked.  
"From the sounds of it, I'm going to be seeing Jordan later today." Will confessed.  
"We have a mission to do, Will." Tanya commented.  
"I know, but you got a chance to see your parabatai again." Will retorted. "At least let me have a chance to see mine again."  
"I guess it will take a while to find where Mortmain's army is operating from in this dimension." Tanya conceded. Will mouthed a thank you.  
"What are you guys talking about?" Cecily asked as she walked into the kitchen, making both Tanya and Will jump. Thankfully, before either Cecily or Will came up with an excuse, the kettle boiled, drawing the trio's attention. Will poured the kettle and handed out the cups of coffee to the other two. Tanya took Jane's cup and carried it through to her. Cecily and Will walked into the dining room. As he did, Will began to remember his other life. He remembered meeting Cecily in elementary school, sharing classes. He also remembered senior proms, and mundane dates. He also remembered when he asked Cecily to move in with him

2031  
Will was sitting in one of the many music rooms of Columbia University. He was playing his latest individual piece, but his stress levels meant that it was rife with mistakes.  
"What's stressing you out, Will?" A voice asked, shouting over Will's loud playing. Will turned to see Jordan, who was also on his course in University.  
"I've got something big happening today." Will remarked. "Or rather, I'm going to do something big."  
"You're going to ask Cecily?" Jordan queried.  
"Yes." Will replied. He paused for a moment. "Wait, what do you think I'm going to ask her?"  
"I know you're asking her to move in with you, Will. Charlie may have mentioned it after you told her." Jordan confessed. At that moment, there was a knock on the music room's door. Jordan and Will looked over to see the younger of the two Lovelaces. Cecily studied at NYU, and had agreed to meet up between her lectures.  
"I'll give you guys the room." Jordan remarked, and exited the room. Will walked over and hugged Cecily tightly.  
"What did you want to ask me about?" Cecily asked. She had a lecture soon, and she would have to get the metro back within the next 10/15 minutes if she wanted to make it in time.  
"Well, we've been going steady for a few years now." Will started. "And I know that you're still looking for somewhere cheap to stay until the end of Uni. My roommate's moving out at the end of the month, and I was wondering whether you would like to... if you'd like to move in me."  
Will blushed slightly as he stuttered. There was a moment of silence before Cecily realised what Will was asking.  
"You're being serious, Will? You'd like me to move in with you?" Cecily asked. Will nodded in the fear that if he spoke he would just stutter again. Cecily had a shocked expression for a few moments before her expression shifted to a massive grin.  
"I'd love to, Will." Cecily told Will. The couple quickly hugged.  
"We can sort out all the details this evening." Will commented. "I know you have to get back across the city."  
Cecily thanked Will before leaving the music room.

2032  
Will shook himself slightly, as he realised that he was drifting, as Tessa had warned.  
"So, are you guys excited for the exhibition opening tonight?" Cecily asked Tanya and Jane.  
"Yes. It was a privilege for Clary to ask us to help." Jane responded. "It's the largest exhibition your mum's ever done, isn't it, Will?"  
"It is, as far as I'm aware." Will answered, taking advantage of the memories of his doppelganger that he had glimpsed when he drifted. Tanya looked at him with confusion and concern for a brief moment.  
"Anyway, we really must get going, otherwise we won't have enough time to prep everything." Jane commented.  
"Plus, you guys have to get to lunch." Tanya added, hinting Jane's subtext. Both Will and Cecily nodded. Jane picked up a pile of the pamphlets on the table, whilst Tanya took the remaining pamphlets. Tanya and Jane said goodbye before leaving Will and Cecily's apartment. After they had left, Will and Cecily tidied up the mugs then grabbed a few things and headed out of the apartment towards the restaurant they were meeting the other Lovelaces at. When they arrived, Cecily spotted a familiar car in the parking space next to where Cecily and Will parked.  
"They're here already." Cecily commented. The couple headed into the restaurant and immediately spotted the Lovelace family at a small table. When Will and Cecily approached the table, the other three Lovelaces stood. The group greeted each other then sat.  
"It's nice to see you again, Will." Simon commented. "It's been a while."  
"Yes, it's been way too long." Will replied, briefly looking at Jordan. From the memories he had glimpsed when he drifted, Will could tell that the relationship between the Herondales and his Lovelaces was similar to that in the Shadowhunters' dimension. The group chatted as they waited for food. Will kept periodically looking over to Jordan and smiling. While his appearance hadn't changed much, Jordan did seem a little older.

Meanwhile, in the Shadowhunters' dimension, the Shadowhunters were busy. Shortly after they had sent word out to the various Downworld leaders in New York, the Institute had received a barrage of phone calls and messages giving intelligence about the comings and goings of various suspected members of Mortmain's army that operated within New York. All the information and locations lead to a deduction. Every single of the suspected soldiers had at some point been spotted near a private apartment building on the outskirts of Manhattan. With every lead pointing there, the Shadowhunters agreed to investigate. Clary and Jace called the Conclave and reinforcements were on their way, but the New York Shadowhunters still had to prepare. However, when Cecily walked into the armoury, side by side with Charlie and Ros, she was stopped by her parents.  
"You can't come with us on this." Simon told Cecily.  
"Why not?" Cecily asked indignantly. "You'll need as many Shadowhunters as possible if this turns out to be a base for Mortmain's army."  
"You're pregnant, Cecily!" Izzy retorted. "It's not just your life on the line."  
"You still went on patrols and fought demons when you were pregnant with me, and with Jordan!" Cecily retorted, referring to some of the stories she had been told when she was younger. "So did Aunt Clary, with both Will and Charlie!"  
"Do you know what both of us where thinking when we were put in that situation, though?" Izzy asked, briefly looking to Simon when she said 'us'.  
"What?" Cecily queried impatiently.  
"We were thinking that we had to get out of there and keep our baby safe." Simon answered. "Shadowhunters are never meant to run from a fight. You're not coming with us because it's a risk for everyone involved."  
Cecily sighed. She knew that there was no arguing with her parents, so accepted it and walked elsewhere in the Institute.

Back in the Shadowless dimension, after the meal, the two groups left the restaurant. Whilst the Lovelace parents and Jordan headed back to their apartments, Will and Cecily had to head straight to the gallery as Will was sorting out the music for the event alongside Jace. When they entered the Institute Gallery, Will had to stop and take a breath. It looked very similar to the Institute from the Shadowhunter's dimension, but there were paintings displayed along every wall on the ground floor. Will recognised the brush strokes and character of ever painting as his mum's unique style. The artist in question walked into the main foyer when she heard the large front door close. She was dressed professionally, in a blouse, jacket and skirt, with comfortable flat shoes. Clary crossed the hall quickly and hugged Cecily and Will at the same time.  
"Thank goodness you two are here!" Clary remarked. "Will, your dad's in the main exhibition room through there. He was getting a bit worried about when you were going to show up. There's something wrong with the piano."  
Clary pointed in a general direction. Will walked there without saying much more, sensing her mum's slight panic. That was how Will ended up on his back underneath a grand piano what would have been the Institute's library in the Shadowhunters' dimension, but was instead a large area, currently set up with paintings and small round tables in the centre. There was also a set of instruments for a small classical band, including the piano that Will was currently underneath, trying to diagnose the cause of a few notes not playing. It simply turned out that some of the hammers had been worn down over time, and needed new covers. This was easily sorted out by a quick drive to the nearest music shop in the city. It was when Will was fitting the last of the new hammers into place when there was a familiar voice. Will slid out from under the piano and stood to see Tanya. She was talking with Jace. Will walked over to the pair.  
"Ah, Will, Tanya was just asking for you." Jace explained. At that moment, Clary shouted for Jace. The elder Herondale left the two young adults to assist his wife.  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Will asked.  
"I think I might have a potential location on another portal." Tanya stated. "I spotted a few of the doppelgangers of Mortmain's army when Jane and I went to get some coffees for everyone."  
Will nodded with a neutral explanation.  
"Where were they?" Will asked.  
"It was at an apartment building off East 52nd Street." Tanya stated, taking a piece of paper out of her jacket pocket. Will looked and saw an address.  
"Well, I'm pretty much done here. We should probably go check that building." Will commented.  
"Are you sure?" Tanya asked. While she sounded confident, Will hinted the subtext. Usually, if Tanya asked questions like 'are you sure', it meant she was unsure herself.  
"You said it yourself. We need to get this done quickly." Will commented. Tanya nodded and glanced behind her, to where Will deduced Jane was standing.  
"You really miss her, don't you?" Will commented. Tanya nodded and sighed.  
"It's been nice to see her again." Tanya confessed. "I don't really want to leave her."  
"I understand that feeling." Will replied. "But we have people relying on us on the other side."  
"I drifted slightly on the way here." Tanya confessed. "I remembered snippets of my life here."  
"I know why you'd want to stay here. Honestly, I do." Will assured Tanya. "But, you and I still have families and friends on the other side. Not to mention that there are this dimension's versions of us that we're currently posing as!"  
Tanya nodded.  
"Just let me say goodbye, please." Tanya requested. Will gave a small smile and a small nod.  
"I'll wait outside." Will told Tanya.

It was about 10 minutes later that Tanya joined Will on the steps outside the Institute. Will noticed Tanya was slightly teary-eyed.  
"Is everything alright?" Will asked Tanya.  
"It will be." Tanya replied, wiping her eyes again. "We need to get moving."  
Tanya headed off towards the pair's destination, and Will quickly followed. They arrived at the apartment building just as the sun was setting. Both Will's and Tanya's phones started ringing. The pair checked to see that it was Cecily and Jane calling them, respectively. Both hung up and turned their phones off after looking briefly at each other.  
"So, we're doing this." Both Tanya and Will stated simultaneously. Both calmed themselves before stepping into the building.

Meanwhile, in the Shadowhunter's dimension, most of the Shadowhunters from the New York Institute were assembled in front of the building that the intelligence seemed to lead to. As they stood outside, trying to find a strategic entrance when Downworlders began to swarm from the alleyways around the building. The Shadowhunters readied themselves. However, the Downworlders stopped in front of the Institute team. A female Downworlder, seemingly a werewolf, going by the colour of her eyes and body language, stepped out in front of the group, facing the Institute Shadowhunters.  
"Leave here now." The werewolf ordered. "And we won't hurt you."  
The Shadowhunters stayed put.  
"On behalf of the Clave, every individual here is to be detained for their involvement with a terrorist group, which was responsible for the deaths of multiple Shadowhunters." Jace stated calmly.  
"None of us will come willingly. Now, leave, or you will be sorry." The werewolf replied. There was a shout from within the building. A Shadowhunter walked through the assembled Downworlder, dragging someone else with them. It was only when they got to the front of the group that the Shadowhunters recognised the figure; it was Tanya. The young adult looked beaten up, with small cuts across her arms and face, as well as a bleeding lip and some bruises already forming.  
"Ma'am, we found her on the other side, near the gateway. There's no sign of the one who was with her." The Shadowhunter explained to the werewolf.  
"Well, you know what needs to be done." The werewolf replied. The assembled Downworlders started to file back into the building. They were about to drag Tanya with them, but an Arrow darted through the sky and buried itself in the arm of the Shadowhunter dragging Tanya away. This, in turn, caused the Shadowhunter to drop Tanya. 'Mortmain's army' all turned to the Shadowhunters and quickly saw it was Simon who had fired the arrow. The army charged at the Institute Shadowhunters, who before they even readied themselves for the battle were snatched away through a portal. When they looked around, the group found themselves in Magnus' and Alec's apartment. The warlock and Shadowhunter in question were in the centre of the apartment. Also there were Max, now looking a few years older than the young Shadowhunters, and Tessa.  
"How? What?" Simon asked, slightly shocked about what happened.  
"We got a call from Cecily, saying you guys were in trouble." Alec explained succinctly.  
"How could Cecily have known?" Clary queried.  
"Will." Tanya deduced. He didn't emerge from the portal in the apartment building. He must have ended up somewhere near the Institute."  
"He mustn't have been focussing on the

The group left the Bane-Lightwoods' apartment and headed back to the Institute. Tanya was very badly injured, so the other Shadowhunters had to support her on the way back. They got there quickly. When they got into the main hall of the Institute, Cecily ran in. She immediately noticed how injured Tanya was.  
"Tanya!" Cecily shouted. "Are you alright?"  
"I'll be fine." Tanya responded. "Where's Will? He was worse than I was when we came through the portal."  
"He appeared in the library." Cecily explained. "He was barely conscious. I was able to get him through to the infirmary."  
Clary, Charlie and Jace ran ahead of the others whilst Cecily and Ros helped Tanya to the infirmary. Meanwhile, Simon and Izzy returned the various weapons to the armoury. By the time that Cecily and Ros had got her to a bed, Tanya had fallen unconscious.

It was a couple days later that Will and Tanya had completely healed and were alright to leave the infirmary. Will and Cecily were sitting in the greenhouse, and Will was retelling what had happened in the Shadowless world.  
"I really wished you could have been there." Will commented. "I know how much you miss Jordan."  
Cecily nodded. Will noticed that his fiancée seemed like she wanted to say something but was keeping quiet.  
"What is it, Cec?" Will asked, concerned for his partner.  
"I've been taken off active duty because of our baby." Cecily confessed. "And seeing what happened to you, I'm worried that something might happen to you."  
Will shifted slightly, trying to deduce Cecily's implication.  
"Will, I don't want you putting your life in danger again, at least, not until our child gets to know their father." Cecily continued. "If I have to stop going on patrols, I want you to stop as well."  
Will thought for a moment then nodded.  
"If that's what you want, then I'll tell my parents in the morning." Will promised Cecily. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind some time on the bench."  
Cecily smiled and thanked her fiancé. The pair sat together until they nearly fell asleep before heading back to what had essentially become their bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: California Dreams…**

 **A/N: Hi! This chapter will contain spoilers for Lord of Shadows. This chapter shouldn't have too much impact on the plot.**

April, 2032:  
It was a few weeks after the incident with the Shadowless world. Will had stayed true to his word and didn't go on patrols, remaining in the Institute with Cecily. However, this had led to a different problem: Shadowhunters, especially Herondales and Lightwoods/Lovelaces, got cabin fever easily. It had gotten to the point where even the parents, despite fully supporting the couple's decision were getting irate at the two young adults. So, one morning, Clary and Jace summoned their son and their adoptive niece to the Institute office. Over a month of pregnancy and lower than usual activity, Cecily had developed a small baby bump.  
"We need you to do something for the Institute." Clary started once Will and Cecily were sat on the other side of the desk. "The Los Angeles Institute has requested a few members of the Inquisitor's investigation visit there to help the start of their own actions against Mortmain's army. There were no attacks there, but some names on the Clave's list were reported to be spotted around the area."  
Cecily and Will tried to protest, but Clary held a hand up and the pair slumped back in their seats.  
"You won't have to go into any form of battle." Clary assured the two prospective parents. "The Blackthorns have been informed about your visit, and the conditions connected with it. You're going to be portalling out this evening. The visit is meant to last for a week, so pack accordingly."  
Clary's tone indicated she wasn't going to hear any argument the couple may have. Cecily and Will left the office and headed to their room. The day was particularly uneventful, at least partially due to the fact that Ros and Charlie were currently in Paris. The sun was setting when Cecily and Will said goodbye to their parents and passed through the portal. Of course, this meant that the sun was higher in the sky when the couple arrived in Los Angeles, given the three hour time difference. Julian was there to meet the Herondale and Lovelace when they arrived in front of the Institute. Julian had taken official control of the Los Angeles Institute when he had come of age, and had dealt with it well over the following 16 years. Alongside him were Emma and Kit. Kit was an interesting case. He was incredibly close to Ty and there had been rumours that their relationship was more than just friendship. The rumours had filtered their ways through to New York, though the inhabitants there didn't give it too much thought. Cecily quickly came through the portal, landing gracefully. However, Will, having chosen to carry both the pair's bags came through the portal off-balance and had to try to compensate and balance himself; unfortunately, he overcompensated and fell to the ground, the bags landing on top of him. The other Shadowhunters, including Cecily, had to suppress a chuckle as Will flailed and fell. The Herondale got back to his feet then the Californian Shadowhunters stepped towards the couple from New York.  
"Hi, Uncle Christopher." Will greeted the elder Herondale.  
"Kit's fine." Kit responded.  
"We were wondering when you guys were going to get here," Julian informed the New Yorkers. "The others are waiting inside."  
"Others?" Cecily asked.  
"He means his siblings." Emma explained, looking over at Julian. Cecily nodded in understanding. The Lovelace took some of the bags from Will and the two younger Shadowhunters followed the three Californian Shadowhunters into the Institute. After dropping their bags into a bedroom, Cecily and Will walked to the Los Angeles Institute's dining room, where the Blackthorns were assembled. Aline and Helen had been brought back from Wrangel Island shortly after Annabel's attack on the Council and the deaths of Robert and Livvy. Jia had secured it as Consul, then Julian had assured that they were allowed to stay wherever they'd like in the world. The Blackthorns had been strong advocates for the end of the Cold Peace. They still fought to have it completely abolished, but there was only so much that the Council was able to do, especially with the Dearborns and their Cohort still trying to push their anti-Downworlder agenda. Also there were Mark, Ty, Dru, and Tavvy. Cristina normally lived in the Los Angeles Institute but, at this point in time, she had a family matter to attend to in Mexico. The last time that either of the New York Shadowhunters had seen the Blackthorns was when the Los Angeles Shadowhunters came to New York briefly while there were some legal problems about the leadership of the LA institute. Aline had been elected as a stand-in Institute head, with her intentions being clear that Julian would take over her position when he came of age. As for Diana, she had returned to Idris after all of the Blackthorns had come of age and was now the manager of Diana's Arrow, her family's weapon shop on Flintlock Street. Back in Los Angeles, all of the assembled Shadowhunters were sat around the Institute's large dining/meeting table.  
"So, welcome to Los Angeles." Emma greeted the two New York Shadowhunters to break the silence that nobody quite knew how to fill. Will and Cecily simultaneously thanked Emma.  
"So, what's this business with Mormon, or whatever his name was?" Kit asked, of course referring to Mortmain. Cecily smiled, recognising the Herondale bluntness from the family in New York. Will and Cecily then took it in turns to explain about the investigation into Mortmain's international network, the apprehension of one of Mortmain's Shadowhunter allies (when they said that there were Shadowhunters working with Mortmain, the Los Angeles Shadowhunters showed no sign of surprise whatsoever); Cecily and Will also told the group about the Clave's list which Julian had a copy of. It was after they had finished that Ty piped up with a question.  
"What did Mortmain do?" Ty asked. Cecily and Will looked at each other, then at Ty with confusion. Ty's question also confused Julian.  
"They just explained what Mortmain did, Ty." Julian commented, trying to get his brother to clarify his question.  
"Whenever they mentioned Mortmain's name, both Cecily and Will seemed to be sad about something." Ty explained. "I was wondering what Mortmain had done to them."  
The room fell deadly silent. Cecily and Will looked to each other for a long time, having a silent conversation of sorts.  
"We fought against Mortmain in New York." Cecily explained. "When we fought against him, he killed Jordan."  
"Who's Jordan again?" Dru queried.  
"He was my parabatai." Will explained. "And he was Cecily's brother."  
The Los Angeles Shadowhunters shifted uncomfortably. Even 20 years later, the death of Livvy was a difficult topic, especially around Ty, who ended up breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen over the table.  
"We're sorry to hear that." Ty informed Charlie and Will.  
"I heard that Mortmain was killed in that battle." Kit commented. The two New York Shadowhunters nodded.  
"It was Charlie, my parabatai and Will's sister." Cecily replied. "It's a long story."  
There was an intrigued response around the table. For the remainder of the meal, there was light conversation between the Shadowhunters on the table. Suddenly, the Institute's phone started ringing. Julian excused himself from the table and exited the room to answer the phone. A minute later, he shouted from the entrance hall.  
"We have a demon attack on the coast!" Julian shouted. "We need to go now!"  
Everyone on the table jumped to their feet. Within half an hour, everyone was armed up, except Will and Cecily.  
"You two are fine keeping an eye on the Institute, right?" Julian asked the two New York Shadowhunters, as the entire group stood in the Institute's entrance hall.  
"I'm sure they've had to look after the Institute in New York, and it's busier than here. They'll be fine!" Emma assured Julian, before pulling her parabatai out of the Institute's main door, and gesturing at the other Californian Shadowhunters to do the same. After the door closed, Will and Cecily turned to the grand interior of the Institute, trying to figure out its layout, and more importantly, where rooms such as the library were.

Meanwhile, the Blackthorns, Aline, Kit, and Emma reached the coast where there had been reports of a demon presence. However, the reports didn't give it justice. The entire beach in front of the group was swarming with semi-aquatic demons. The last time the group had seen that many demons in Los Angeles was during the crisis with Annabel Blackthorn. The horde of demons immediately sensed the Shadowhunters' presence, and turned to them. The group fought through the demons, carving a fiery and bloody path. However, the demons continued to swarm, crawling out of the sea.  
"What is causing this?" Ty asked.  
"I don't know." Kit responded. "I haven't had a chance to ask the demons, what with them trying to kill us and all."  
"There's no need for sarcasm." Ty retorted.  
"Focus, both of you!" Julian shouted to the two younger Shadowhunters. The group continued to battle their way through the demons. At one point, Emma and Julian were standing back to back as demons closed in on every side. For some reason, Julian was panicking at the horde closing in on them.  
"This can't be our final battle." Julian commented.  
"Of course it won't be." Emma replied in a matter of fact tone. "We've been in far worse situations than this."  
"We're not in the backseat of a car at the moment." Julian retorted, which garnered a few confused looks from the other Shadowhunters, which in turn caused Julian to say "That sounded a lot worse than it actually was."  
There was a lull in the number of demons eventually, which the Shadowhunters used to their advantage and were able to finish off the small numbers remaining. Now with the immediate threat dealt with, the group investigated the beach, trying to find a source or cause for the demon horde.

Back at the Institute, Cecily was using the Institute's phone, talking to her mum back in New York.  
"Everyone is alright, though?" Cecily asked. Izzy had told Cecily about an incident between a few of Mortmain's followers and the New York Shadowhunters.  
"Yes, we only got away with a few minor injuries." Izzy assured Cecily. "Is everything alright in Los Angeles?"  
"Yeah. There's been a demon attack, and the Blackthorns are dealing with it, so it's just me and Will in the Institute at the moment." Cecily commented. Izzy and Cecily's conversation was suddenly cut short by a yelp from upstairs.  
"CECILY!" Will shouted from somewhere upstairs. Cecily rolled her eyes.  
"I've got to go, mum." Cecily remarked. "I think something's fallen on Will."  
Izzy chuckled on the other side of the phone and said goodbye. Cecily hung up the phone, then stood and walked through the Institute, trying to find the Herondale. She found him in the library and quickly realised it wasn't because something had landed on him. Rather, Will was on the floor, with his arm twisted behind his back by an older Shadowhunter, who Cecily recognised from previous trips to the Los Angeles institute.  
"Cristina!" Cecily shouted in surprised shock. The Mexican Shadowhunter looked up.  
"Cecily? Cecily Lovelace?" Cristina asked, taking a moment to recognise the younger Shadowhunter.  
"Yep, that's me, and that…" Cecily replied, gesturing to Will who was still pinned to the ground. "…is Will, my fiancé, and the second youngest Herondale in the world."  
Cristina realised she was still pinning Will to the ground and quickly stepped off of him, as well as helping the red haired Herondale to his feet.  
"Sorry about that. Cristina apologised. "I've just been a bit jumpy recently."  
"No problem." Will assured Cristina, rubbing his back where Cristina had stepped on it.  
"Where are the others?" Cristina asked a few moments later.  
"There was a demon attack on the coast." Cecily explained succinctly. "They should be back soon, though."  
This was an understatement, as at that moment, the trio heard the Institute's front door slamming shut. The group walked through to the main entrance hall and found the other Shadowhunters. Each was carrying a couple boxes made of wood, which were gold in colour.  
"Are all the demons dealt with?" Cecily asked.  
"They are, as far as we're aware." Emma answered.  
"Are those Pyxis?" Will asked, suddenly excited. He ran past Cecily and Cristina, and towards the Shadowhunters near the door.  
"Yeah, we found them all across the coast." Ty replied, seeming to share Will's intrigue.  
"It's been years since they were used!"  
"Yeah. They stopped using them after the 1899 incident at the academy." Will remarked. "I knew some people had them in private collections, and some Institutes still have theirs in deep storage. That's a lot of Pyxis, though."  
"I'll get on the line to the Clave and ask people to check their collections and Institutes, and see if any are missing." Julian remarked. "Meanwhile, can you get these into the secure storage?  
The other Shadowhunters nodded. Will took the Pyxis from Julian, who walked towards the Institute's office.  
"This is remarkable. I never thought I would be holding a real Pyxis!" Will gushed, before looking up and seeing Cecily's incredulous expression.  
"What? Don't look at me like that. You know I love old Shadowhunter gadgets." Will said in his own defence. Cecily shook her head, though she was also smiling.  
"Anyway, you're back early, Cristina." Emma commented. "How was Mexico?"  
"Same as ever. Everything's simmered down over there, for now." Cristina remarked. A silence fell on the room, so the various Shadowhunters decided to do as Julian had instructed.

Later, the group were sitting around the Institute's dining room, with Julian and Cecily in the kitchen. Emma and Will had offered to help, though had been told not to by their counterparts.  
"I'm guessing you have a similar level of cooking ability." Will commented. "My parents say I inherited my aunt's cooking ability."  
"Not really." Emma replied, smiling. "It's just that Julian has always tried to be a father figure to everyone in the Institute, me included."  
Kit smirked, remembering rumours of Emma and Julian's 'adventures' when they were younger.  
"Maybe he could teach me some of those skills." Will commented nonchalantly; as a reaction, Kit and the Blackthorns looked at Will with shocked expressions. Will then proceeded to close his eyes and internally curse his loose tongue.  
"My mum and dad didn't tell you guys, did they?" Will asked.  
"Well, they did. Julian told me, but we kept it from the rest of the guys, in case –." Emma started.  
"They treated Cecily or me any differently. I understand. It makes sense." Will replied.  
"What makes sense?" Cecily asked as she and Julian walked in with a plate of food each.  
"Uh, well…" Emma and Will stammered simultaneously.  
"You told them, didn't you?" Julian remarked, glaring at Emma.  
"It wasn't me! At least, it wasn't totally me!" Emma defended herself.  
"I thought you guys knew, to be fair." Will said in his own defence.  
"Wait, what is going on?" Cecily asked.  
"You're pregnant?" Ty asked.  
"Will!" Cecily scolded her fiancé.  
"I thought they knew! I thought my parents would have told them!" Will retorted. "They told Julian and Emma. It's just – ."  
"I know what the situation is. Julian told me in the kitchen." Cecily informed the other Shadowhunters.  
"OK, I think that's enough for now." Julian commented. "Let's eat."  
The others nodded. The meal was silent, with some tension between Will and Cecily. Afterwards, Emma and Will took the empty plates through to the Institute's kitchen to do the cleaning. The pair worked in silence for a bit.  
"I've screwed up, haven't I?" Will asked Emma. Emma turned to Will.  
"Excuse me?" Emma queried confusedly.  
"It was meant to be Cecily's choice whether or not to tell you guys. She's the one who's pregnant." Will explained "I screwed up by telling you guys."  
Emma sighed and put down the dishcloth she was holding.  
"You thought the others knew. You didn't say anything you didn't think was known." Emma assured Will. "Trust me. Cecily will understand, and she'll forgive you. Forgiveness is a major part of love."  
Will smiled slightly, thankful for the comment. Emma chuckled slightly.  
"I just realised that both of your parents took me aside and gave me advice when I was a bit younger than you are now." Emma commented. "I guess it comes full circle."  
This made Will smile. The pair continued in silence, though the tension that was present had dissipated slightly. When they had finished, the two Shadowhunters headed in opposite directions. Will headed up to the guest bedroom that had been set up for him and Cecily. When Will got to the room, Cecily was napping on her side on the room's double bed. Will sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked Cecily's hair, as he had seen his dad do for his mum on quiet evenings, particularly if it followed a stressful day. The action made Cecily turn into Will's hand, so she was facing the male Shadowhunter, still asleep. Seeing Cecily so peaceful made Will smile and he tried not to wake his fiancé. In moments like this, Will was reminded of how much he loved Cecily.

Meanwhile, Emma walked up to the Institute head's office. As expected, Julian was in the office, looking through paperwork. The Blackthorn looked up as soon as Emma entered the room.  
"Is everything alright, Emma?" Julian asked.  
"It should be." Emma replied. "I think I helped the situation between Cecily and Will, at least a little."  
"You were always the better one when it came to social situations." Julian commented.  
"Oh, I don't know. You are quite a good father figure yourself." Emma assured Julian. "Just ask your siblings."  
Julian smiled.  
"We make a good pair, don't we?" Julian asked.  
"We always have. That's why we're parabatai, isn't it?" Emma replied. This made Julian chuckle.  
"Now, how can I help?" Emma asked Julian, looking at the pile of paperwork covering the desk. Julian shifted some papers over to Emma for her to fill in and sort out.

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed that. Sorry that it's taken a while (life happens), but I hope this makes up for it. Please remember to review, and I'll see you in the next chapter where you'll get to see what happened in New York whilst Cecily and Will were in Los Angeles. See you in the next chapter, and as always,  
Keep on Reading  
-ToAC**


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